Take it from Yoda: do or do not.

Last we talked, I gave a sneak peek into my thoughts about freelancing. Now what you’re reading will be a longer and more raw version of my feelings about the subject.

Disclosure time. Freelancing is, was, and will never be something I can do full-time. It will always take a few hours of my day or week, but not for 40 hours.

However, I may agree if I can do such on a project-based or part-time basis (15 hours maximum). That depends on the scope, the nature or expertise of the business, and what I can gain from that experience. Bonus points if it compensates fairly and the client treats its team members well.

Which leads to the idea of freelancing as a side hustle. Sometimes you just want and need to earn a little extra moolah for a fatter bank account. Bills can be a pain in the pockets, that’s for sure. By having some extra cash, not only do I get to add cushion in my bank account for life savings purposes. I also have enough to splurge for guilty pleasures such as travel, clothes, cosmetics, gadgets, a good book, and whatever else tickles my fancy. No shame in admitting that; I’m pretty sure that’s a common sentiment in the gig economy era.

Another driving factor is that freelancing can open the door to branch out and upskill. My current role as a digital manager with a focus on channel and content strategy (among other things) has given me the opportunity to spread out my knowledge in different dimensions—pitches, conversations with clients, even water coolers with like-minded people.

Upskilling requires acceptance that you are just as good as your last project. Thus, you have to make yourself irreplaceable by adapting new skills. AI-powered job automation has enabled robots to perform even the simplest tasks; possibly putting many workers without adequate technical skills behind and at risk of unemployment. Even if you’re a Level 10 expert at social media marketing, you can’t afford to rest on your laurels because some skills are bound to get obsolete.

Personally, I’d take independent projects if it helped me unlearn what I already knew and absorb a new value-adding skill for my professional growth. Like sure, I can read and interpret monthly Facebook analytics and throw industry jargon on the tip of my tongue. But what about TikTok strategy and pitching to clients on why it’s a necessity rather than a commodity? Or how to build email newsletters that can elicit high clickthrough rates and generate quality leads? Freelancing allows you to market yourself as a business owner who can offer value-adding expertise to clients across different industries.

Dea Mariska Fabriani couldn’t have said it better in her LinkedIn Pulse article on why upskilling matters. She mentioned the four essential character traits that helped change her working ways: unlearning, humility, vision, and resilience. To summarize her brilliant piece, upskilling requires adapting your strategy and approach to keep pace with the dynamic digital world. So is knowing your strengths and weaknesses. It means realizing that there will always be people who know better in some subject, and learning to listen and collaborate with them. As is embracing a future-forward mindset that enables you to envision the big picture. And finally, weathering the inevitable roadblocks that could draw the fine line between achievement and disappointment.

Industry veterans often advise aspirants and newbies that freelancing is not for everyone, not for the faint of heart. Admittedly, I am not cut out for the full-time lifestyle. Not that I refuse the perks of freelancing, such as flexibility, versatility, the opportunity to focus on a niche that interests me, and high potential income. Maybe I just can’t see myself working a daily night shift, the absence of employer benefits, the constant battle against the anxiety of instability that comes with at will employment, plus the risk of isolation. Things can change, but right now this is where I stand in terms of a full-time freelance career.

Freelancing can be both lucrative and challenging. The decision whether or not to dive into this path relies on personal preference. At the end of the day, what’s important is that you take on something that makes you fulfilled and aligned with your career goals.